A chronograph watch responding to the generic definition which has just been given is shown for example in the patent EP-A-0 048 217. The time keeping portion of such chronograph watch includes hours, minutes and small seconds hands as well as the date display appearing in a window. Such time keeping portion is driven by one of two stepping motors with which the watch calibre is furnished. The chronograph portion includes a large center seconds hand, a minutes counter and an hours counter, such chronograph portion being driven by the other of the two stepping motors. Here the use of two motors controlled by different frequencies has as purpose to economize energy in a manner such that the chronograph watch has an operating autonomy almost as long as that of a standard watch not comprising a chronograph function.
A watch, also including two motors, is described in the patent EP-0 059 164 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,832). This watch includes a first motor driving the seconds hand in a manner entirely independent from the minutes and hours hands, themselves driven by a second motor. A logic circuit enables controlling the first motor in response to control elements external or internal to the electronic circuit of the watch and in response to time base signals furnished by a frequency divider in a manner such that the seconds hand displays information other than that of the second.